The EU has given the island until Monday to raise the billions of euros it needs to clinch an international bailout or face the collapse of its financial system and likely exit from the euro currency zone.

Recent events in Eritrea have so far shown two things: 1) Discontent is rising. 2) Afewerki can handle it. Ali Abdu Ahmed, Eritrea's former information minister, has not been seen in Eritrea since his trip to Europe in September 2012. This has generated rumours that he has defected from President Isaias Afewerki's regime and is seeking asylum abroad.

Manila's newest and most luxurious casino has opened its doors, upping the ante in the Philippines' drive to compete with Asian gambling hot spots Singapore and Macau. The US$1.2-billion Solaire Resort & Casino, an integrated resort on Manila Bay, is the first of four casino venues being built on prime, reclaimed land as part of a gaming and entertainment complex dubbed Entertainment City.
Solaire was developed by Bloomberry, a publicly traded company listed on the Philippines Stock Exchange owned by billionaire Enrique Razon, Jr.